Alternative Eric Beginning
So School was dismissed and I was home much earlier than I liked to be, so instead of going inside I stayed outside the burgs walls. Except the small levelled area were floaters could lands the rest of the island was sheer cliffs, huge boulders and more roc, but when you took the time to climb down the south side right across the gate, past Olle’s Tooth (a particular tall and rugged rock said to resemble the rotten tooth of one of my forefathers.) There was a tiny maybe seven meter long deep and 20 meters wide pebble beach known by the Clan as Sigrids Secret. It was hidden from sight on each side by tall cliffs and an overhang from above it was one of my favourite spots. Legend had it that the first Ragnarrson family landed here claiming this rock as theirs only a day after the Settlers Ark had landed. Sten Ragnarrson was said to have killed himself here and that one still could hear his screaming as he lamented his dishonourable death. I had never heard it and I came here a lot. As isolated as Nilfeheimtried to remain we were part of a technological advanced culture and still many Nilfehein Neo Vikings believed in the supernatural like hauntings and ghosts. Midril was one of those and she claimed to have seen ghosts before. When I was younger I believed her if she told about the one legged Ragnarrson who supposedly haunted the storage cellar, but now I believed it was a mere tale to keep me and the other kids from the pickled fish barrel. This was my second Shortsummer , the period our planet was on the short end of its elliptical orbit around our sun and it would last three standard years. The other period we called Longnight and it lasted for seven standard years. During Longnight the sun would barley appear across the horizon and temperatures plunged to minus sixty degrees. Now during Shortsummer temperatures could climb all the way to 15 degrees and most of the planet wide ocean was ice free. I sat down and watched Toe Pincher crabs as they scurried over the dark pebbles , enjoyed the wind and the weather . I would have loved to go for a dive but I had to stand at the door at the proper time and if I was wet they knew I was of earlier and did not report in. My father decreed that I had to much idle time and that after school I was to report to Hogward the Yard Master who tended the subs and hunting gear for chores. That fat bastard was a favourite of my father and enjoyed giving me lots to do so he did not have to do it. Even though my father had moved the Olafson Clan, this rock was still known as Ragnarsson Isle and had been the traditional home of the Ragnarsson Clan ever since Nilfeheim was settled by Terran Colonists in 2166. Now during Shortsummer and on a clear day I could normally see the Oseberg Island from my tower window. It was where the Oseberg's had their burg, but not from down here of course. The Oseberg's were the mortal enemies of the Ragnarsson Clan and until about 500 years ago there was open war between these clans. Although open clan wars were no longer practiced or permitted, it was still forbidden to even speak the name Oseberg within these walls. Many of the older Clans, including my father lamented the fact that piracy, clan wars and the raid of other burgs was no longer permitted. He often claimed that he would rather take the wealth of another clan by axe and sword than by fishing, working and marriage, as he put it.” I was watching two crabs fighting over a dead fish, Silver Flicker Fish it was that probably went to close to the surge as the waves broke against the cliffs and got smacked to hard against the rock . Almost to late did I hear footsteps in the gravel. More out of instinct I ducked and still something hit me pretty hard on the head. I jumped back and turned to see Lothar my half-brother brandishing a wooden practice sword. He was only ten but had inherited all the Olafson Bulk and was more than my equal in terms of strength and body size. His eyes glowed with delight as he laughed and screamed.” I come here every day and now to find you here so early and after I made you bleed I will tell father!” He played with his sword making its tip circle before my face.” I could also kill you right now!” “I had it with you and your arrogance! I am sick and tired of your petty games . this is Ragnarsson Rock and you and that father of ours is here by the grace of my grandfather and my mother!” I stepped inside his reach, twisted his wrist with my left and smacked my fist as hard as I could right into his blabbering smiling mouth.” I could feel something break as my fist connected , he was flung back , he stumbed and fell. For some reason time seemed to slow down as I seen him fall and the back of his head hitting one of the bigger rocks . He didn’t move or make any sound as he laid there and I was certain I had killed him! The realization of what I had done hit me the very same moment. Fear and guilt made it impossible to even think one coherent thought. He stirred and opened his eyes, he was not dead! A voice in me urged me to finish him off, the crabs would make short work of his remains and the surge take whatever was left. He would simply be missing and one problem of my life would be solved! He deserved to die! He was the son of a woman who replaced my mother! The woman was the reason my father had killed her in the first place! I was the rightful heir not he! But I did not. It would be unfair to kill him semi conscious without a chance of defending himself. A female suddenly appeared from the water! At the very first moment I believed it to be Hel the goddess of the nether worlds who came to take Lothar! No goddess would wear a modern wet suit however , she held a spear gun, not a slayer but from the looks like it a very modern Off-World type. Even though her suit and the gun seemed Off Word she was clearly Neo Viking. She had no breathing gear and the neck of the Wetsuit was modified to keep her gills open. She was maybe ten meters away and the water lapped against her knees. She had the gun aimed at me and she yelled. “I can’t let you let live Eric as you you saw me. I am sorry I did not know you would be here. I came for him and I see you started already what I came here to do!” I could not fathom how this young woman I had never seen knew me and why she wanted to kill my brother. How could a ten year old have such an enemy? What clan would use female swimmers anyway? “Who are you?” “I am Venegance! It is not the domain of men alone! “ From above I heard Harkun yelling and raising alarm! The female fired her gun! I threw myself to the ground at the same time , but the spear hit me not into the chest but the shoulder as I was certain she had aimed for my heart. As I fell I found it strange how little the harpoon hurt. Then I heard the explosive puff as the harpoons explosive head went off. I saw her disappear beneath the waves and just before darkness engulfed me I felt relieved. I would die now I was certain and I would see mother again! -- I was not dead. I was quite disappointed as I saw the face of the Union doctor instead of that of my mother. The man wore his light green uniform with the Union Medical Logo on its chest. He had no hair on his head, except for a set of bushy eyebrows. A light floated above his eyes and shined directly into mine . His nose was rather large for his elongated face I found , especially as I saw it so close up. “Yes, yes . Eric you are among the living and you are soon able to leave.” “What happened?” Was al that came to my mind. “You were shot by a harpoon with explosive tip. Luckily for you that thing was meant to be fired under water and so it went straight through you and that explosive tip, went off outside. Did still considerable damage. Had it exploded inside there would have been nothing for me to do.” I tried to sit up, but he pushed me back. “I said soon, Eric. Not now!” Category:Fragments